Romans 8_11
September 12
Happy Wednesday Everyone,
The scripture for today is Romans 8:11
Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also bring to life your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwells in you.
The resurrection of our bodies is the great promise of God to all who believe in Christ Jesus and it is our blessed hope. The witness to this great promise is the indwelling Holy Spirit of God. He is the one who raised Christ from the dead and in like manner, He will also raise all who cling to Him in faith. That Jesus was raised from the dead is a documented fact. The scriptural account reads: "And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that He was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, He was seen of over five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain until now, but some are fallen asleep." 1 Corinthians 15:4-6 There were over five hundred witnesses who saw Jesus at the same time after His resurrection. We are told in scripture that, "In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established." 2 Corinthians 13:1 Jesus gave us over five hundred and many of these lost their lives rather than deny the truth of the resurrection which they had witnessed.
Since we know from the evidence that God by His Spirit raised Christ from the dead, it is without question that He is able to raise us from the dead by the same Spirit. The eternal life of God is alive within us now by the Holy Spirit and when Christ returns all that sleep in Him will be raised by that life giving Spirit. These mortal bodies will be mortal no more, for God will impart to us the immortality that is now in Christ for "we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is." 1 John 3:2
The presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives is God's power manifested in us. That power is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. He is with us and lives in us! So, whether we live or die, we are God's and the sleep of death is but a moment of transition into eternal life in the presence of our Lord. "For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 Let us be faithful and finish the work that God has given us to do for in a short time, we will be going home!
God bless you as you continue in His service.
Tim